Karen refugees in Thailand
This collection of photos provides a glimpse into the daily life of ethnic Karen and Karenni refugees in two camps along the Thai-Burma border. The Karen people reside primarily in southern and southeastern Myanmar (Burma), where they make up approximately 7 percent of the population. The Karenni people are a subgroup of the Karen people. An estimated 400,000 Karen and Karenni refugees have fled to Thailand, in order to escape persecuting by Myanmar's military government, many of them living in camps on the border.
These photos were taken in two such camps: Mae La and Ban Mai Nai Soi. As of 2009, refugee resettlement was ongoing in both camps.
Mae La
The first set of photos (1-24) were taken in Mae La, the largest of Thailand's Burmese refugee camps with a population of approximately 30,946 (UNHCR Feb 2010 estimate). The majority of registered refugees in Mae La are ethnic Karen.
Ban Mai Nai Soi
The second set of photos (25-36) were taken in Ban Mai Nai Soi, the northernmost of Thailand's refugee camps. Ban Mai Nai Soi's population is majority Karenni, it has an estimated population of 13,308 (UNHCR Feb 2010 estimate).
Copyright
All photographs © Amity Malack, 2009.
Further FMO Resources
- Forced Migration Review: Burma’s displaced people, Issue 30, (April 2008)
- Hynes, P. "FMO Research Guide: Burma" (August 2003)
- Hynd, M. "FMO Research Guide: Thailand" (October 2002)
